India Women – 328-6 in 50 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 126, Deepti Sharma 106*, Pratika Rawal 61; Nomvelo Sibanda 2/38, Nyasha Gwanzura 1/43, Michelle Mavunga 1/47)

Zimbabwe Women – 207 all out in 48.5 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 49, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 46, Beloved Biza 34; Vaishnavi Sharma 4/39, Deepti Sharma 3/32, Sayali Satghare 1/33)

India Women won by 121 runs

Zimbabwe Women were unable to build on Nomvelo Sibanda’s early double strike as centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma powered India Women to a 121-run victory in the second ODI at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday.

Modester Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano led Zimbabwe’s reply with 49 and 46 respectively, but the tourists were dismissed for 207 in 48.5 overs chasing India’s imposing 328 for six.

The result gave the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, which forms part of the ICC Women’s Championship.

Zimbabwe made an excellent start after India elected to bat, with Sibanda removing Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma inside the first three overs.

Mandhana fell for a duck to the fourth delivery of the match, mistiming a pull that was caught by Loryn Phiri, before Nyasha Gwanzura held a low catch at midwicket to dismiss Verma for eight and leave India 19 for two.

Harmanpreet counter-attacked while Pratika Rawal settled after a watchful start as the pair took India to 68 for two at the end of the opening powerplay.

Their third-wicket partnership yielded 124 before Gwanzura had Rawal caught by Beloved Biza near the deep midwicket boundary for 61 off 67 balls.

Zimbabwe struck again in the following over when Tejal Hasabnis attempted to slog Olinder Chare and Michelle Mavunga ran back at mid-on to complete an excellent catch, dismissing her for three.

Two wickets in eight deliveries gave Zimbabwe a fresh opening, but Harmanpreet and Deepti seized back the initiative with a commanding fifth-wicket partnership.

Deepti attacked the spinners from the outset, sweeping confidently and punishing anything short or wide to reach her half-century off 40 balls.

Harmanpreet combined powerful drives with deft placement, although Zimbabwe were left to rue a dropped catch at short midwicket when she was on 68.

Further chances went down as the experienced pair steadily lifted the scoring rate.

Harmanpreet reached her century off 102 deliveries before falling to Mavunga in the 47th over for 126 from 121 balls, including 15 fours.

Tendai Makusha dismissed Richa Ghosh for seven, but Deepti provided a strong finish.

Beginning the final over on 97, she struck successive boundaries to bring up her century and carry India beyond 320.

She finished unbeaten on 106 off 86 balls, also hitting 15 fours, while Sibanda returned Zimbabwe’s best figures of two for 38.

Mupachikwa gave the chase a positive start, cutting Sayali Satghare’s first two deliveries for consecutive boundaries and dominating an opening stand of 38 before Phiri fell to Shree Charani for six.

Mugeri-Tiripano maintained the attacking approach, taking two boundaries off Deepti’s first over and three off Charani in the 13th.

She and Mupachikwa added 69 for the second wicket to take Zimbabwe to 107 for one, but neither could convert her promising innings into a half-century.

Satghare broke the partnership in the 23rd over, beating Mugeri-Tiripano’s attempted drive to bowl her for 46 off 57 balls, with seven fours.

Mupachikwa followed for 49, slicing Vaishnavi Sharma to backward point, where substitute Harleen Deol dived forward to complete the catch.

Her 70-ball innings included nine boundaries.

From 120 for three, Zimbabwe struggled to regain momentum as the required rate climbed and Vaishnavi tightened India’s grip.

Biza made 34 before falling lbw following a successful review, while Mavunga was bowled for three and captain Josephine Nkomo was trapped lbw for 22.

Gwanzura offered late resistance with 20 off 18 balls, including Zimbabwe’s only six, before Deepti dismissed her and Sibanda with successive deliveries in the 46th over.

Deepti also removed Makusha, while Jintimani Kalita wrapped up the innings by having Chiedza Dhururu caught for 12.

Vaishnavi finished with four for 39, while Deepti completed an outstanding all-round performance with three for 32.

Zimbabwe will look to finish the series on a stronger note in the third and final ODI at the same venue on Wednesday.

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